Recordpub.com - Brimfield police chase hits 120 mph Teen tries to flee during I-76 traffic stop; arrested in Akron

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By Marci Piltz
Record-Courier staff writer
An Akron teenager is facing a felony charge after fleeing from Brimfield police following an attempted traffic stop Friday.
The 17-year-old, whose name is not being released because he is a juvenile, was taken into custody in Akron at around 11:40 a.m. after leading police on a brief chase from Brimfield with speeds reaching more than 100 mph.
According to Brimfield Police Chief David Blough, Officer Dan Rafferty attempted to make a traffic stop on the westbound on-ramp to Interstate 76. The reason for the stop, Rafferty said, was the driver's alleged failure to use a turn signal.
The vehicle, a 1995 Chevrolet Monte Carlo, pulled over but as Rafferty exited his patrol car the suspect vehicle took off.
"He proceeded westbound on 76 all the way to the East Market Street exit, got off there, and then attempted to get back on the interstate, still westbound," he said. "However, he could not make the turn around the concrete curb wall and wrecked, blowing out the right front tire of the vehicle."
Blough said the teen then fled the vehicle "which was disabled on the East Market Street ramp in Akron " and attempted to flee on foot. He was quickly taken into custody by Rafferty and an assisting officer from the Akron Police Department, Blough said.
Rafferty said during the pursuit, speeds exceeded 120 mph and the suspect was passing vehicles off the right and left sides of the roadway, sometimes at around 90 mph, nearly causing several crashes.
"He will be charged with failure to comply, a third-degree felony, also sometimes called fleeing and eluding," said Blough.
Although the suspect is a juvenile, Blough said officers will be looking into the teen's previous criminal record "if there is one "and the teen could later be charged as an adult.
"We'll certainly visit that possibility after we check his background and confer with the prosecutor," Blough said.
In the meantime, the teen was taken to the Portage-Geauga County Juvenile Detention Center, Blough said.
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E-mail: mpiltz@recordpub.com
Phone: (330) 296-9657

47.	Posted by Angel1 January 7, 2008
	If you break the law, in any way shape or form you have to be prepared to PAY THE CONSEQUENCES. I know that in this day and age personal responsibility is practically unheard of but come on people! Blame the officer for the criminals actions! Blame the officer for doing his job! SHAMEFUL! Are we sure the suspect would have simply and suddenly stopped if the officer had halted the chase? DOUBTFUL! I was stopped by a Brimfield Police Officer just about a week ago for a very minor traffic violation. I was treated with respect and simply given a nice verbal warning. Am I to be mad at the officer because I made a mistake?????? NO!

46.	Posted by CmdrKJon January 7, 2008
	Good Grief. What kind of dolt speeds away from a simple traffic stop. I can almost guarantee that 99 out 100 times someone pulls this stunt they are hiding something. Drugs, explosives, weapons, drunk or high? Nobody really knows. The officer definitely did the proper thing. This kid should have his license revoked and be doing community service until he is 21. Maybe by that time he will realize what a dumb@$$ he was. The lack of a turn signal is not the point. It would have been a warning. I have been pulled over a few times in the past over broken turn signals. Never cited, just warned and given time to fix the signal. If the kid had a trunk full of crack, there wouldn't be a peep from the bleeding hearts. Funny thing is, you would never know unless the officer pursues.